The city was alive with sound and motion. The hum of car engines, the chatter of morning commuters, the rhythmic tap of footsteps on pavement—it all blended into a familiar urban melody. Skyscrapers loomed overhead, their windows reflecting the orange glow of the late afternoon sun. Street vendors called out with sizzling food and tempting smells, and somewhere in the distance, music spilled from an open window.
"Another day, another dollar," a suited man muttered, adjusting his tie as he walked with a heavy briefcase. "Sometimes I wonder if this rat race is really worth it."
His friend beside him sighed. "We all ask that eventually. But bills don't pay themselves. You ever think about just... running away to the mountains or something?"
"Every Monday."
Further down the sidewalk, a woman pushing a stroller looked down at her baby and cooed. "You've got a whole life ahead of you, little one. Hope it turns out better than mine."
A pair of teenagers leaned against a brick wall, phones in hand.
"Dude, I swear school is a joke. Like, when am I ever gonna use quadratic equations in life?"
"Right? We should be learning how to do taxes or how to not spiral into existential dread at 20."
A street artist dabbed at a canvas, eyes scanning the horizon. "They see chaos," he whispered, "but I see a masterpiece waiting to be born."
In all of this, Damien Cross walked unnoticed—yet, somehow, still felt like the most visible person on Earth. With fiery red hair and eyes like molten gold rimmed in crimson, he didn't exactly blend in. Still, he kept his head down, munching on a bag of chips, hoodie pulled halfway over his head.
"Alright, Damien... when you get home, you're gonna chill. Maybe nap? No, shower first. Or... damn it, I need groceries. But also, pizza. Yeah, pizza sounds good," he muttered to himself. "Wait, did I leave the stove on this morning? Crap..."
He sighed loudly, shaking the thoughts out of his head.
"People keep staring again," he thought, glancing around. "I swear, I can't even walk down the street without someone giving me the side-eye. Red hair isn't that rare, right? Ugh... whatever."
His thoughts raced alongside his footsteps. "I should've stayed home. But nooo, Damien, you needed fresh air. You needed chips. You needed to walk it off. And for what?"
He passed a narrow alley where two older men were sitting on overturned crates, sipping from steaming paper cups.
"You know," one said, staring off into the distance, "life's weird. One day you're chasing dreams, next day you're chasing the bus."
"Ain't that the truth," the other replied. "I used to think I was gonna change the world. Now I just try not to change channels with the remote too fast or my back gives out."
Damien chuckled softly. "They might be onto something."
As he continued walking, he approached a small park where a group of kids were playing catch. Laughter rang through the air, wild and joyful.
"Hey! Throw it to me!"
"Nah, it's my turn next!"
"You always say that! Let someone else get a turn!"
One of the younger boys grumbled, puffing out his cheeks. "If I was stronger, I'd throw it all the way over the fence. Boom! Home run, baby!"
"You? Stronger? Pfft, you couldn't even lift the juice box at lunch!"
The group burst into laughter.
Damien smiled a little to himself. "At least someone's having fun," he thought. "I used to play like that... feels like a whole other life now."
A girl on the sidelines watched the game with her arms crossed. "Boys always hog the ball. I'd throw better anyway."
"Then prove it!" another kid shouted.
"Watch me!" she yelled, charging in to intercept the next pass.
Damien slowed his pace, amused. "They all think they're invincible. Kinda envy that. Life hasn't smacked them yet."
Then it happened.
One of the kids missed the catch. The ball bounced off the sidewalk and rolled into the street.
Without hesitation, the boy chased after it, not noticing the oncoming truck barreling around the corner.
Damien's heart skipped. "No, no, no—"
He dropped the chips and ran. "MOVE!" he screamed, lungs burning.
"Come on, legs—FASTER! Gotta get there in time! Can't let this happen! Not on my watch!"
The truck driver laid on the horn, but the sound barely registered over Damien's pounding heartbeat.
The kid froze, eyes wide.
"MOVE!!!" Damien shouted again, almost there.
He lunged forward, throwing his full weight and momentum into the push. He slammed into the kid, knocking him out of the truck's path just in time.
For a second, Damien felt the impact, the screech of tires, the blinding light—
And then, everything went black.
A moment later, Damien's eyes fluttered open. "Am I... dead?" he murmured, blinking into a black void. He sat up slowly. "Shouldn't I be dead? What the hell is this place?"
Then, a voice echoed through the emptiness. Smooth. Commanding. Otherworldly.
"You have awakened... my Flame."
Damien jolted upright. "Who said that?!" he shouted, spinning around. There was nothing. Only darkness—and then... light.
A single flame floated before him, dancing silently in mid-air.
"What is this? A dream? A coma hallucination?" he thought, heart racing. "That voice... that flame..."
The voice returned, amused. "Confused, aren't you?"
"No sh*t I'm confused! WHO ARE YOU?!" Damien bellowed.
Laughter—sultry and rich—echoed around him. The flame pulsed brighter, its flickering growing more intense. Then, before his eyes, it began to change.
The flame stretched and morphed, shaping itself into a woman—no, a goddess.
Her hair flowed like slow-burning fire, crimson at the roots fading to golden-ember tips. Her eyes glowed molten gold, ringed in pulsing red. Her skin shimmered with a golden-rose hue, warm and radiant. She moved with the grace of a queen and the power of a tempest, wrapped in robes made of enchanted flame silk and obsidian lace.
"Oh... wow," Damien whispered, awe-struck. "She's... unreal."
The woman smiled, a teasing smirk on her lips. "Are you shocked, dear?"
He shook his head, trying to break the trance. "W-Who are you? Where am I?"
"I am Ignis Vermiliona," she said, her voice like fire and velvet. "Goddess of Flame, Wrath, Passion, and Rebirth."
"Goddess...? Ignis Vermiliona...?"
She snapped her fingers. The black void melted away, replaced by a magnificent domain of flame and light—volcanic peaks, rivers of lava flowing like water, the sky a glowing blend of crimson and gold.
She turned to him, radiant and fierce. "Welcome to my domain, my Flame."
Damien stood frozen, mind reeling. "What the hell is happening to me...?"
Damien still didn't understand what was happening.
His heart thudded in his chest as he stood in the center of the blazing domain, staring at the goddess before him. The volcanic peaks behind her glowed with a soft radiance, rivers of lava winding like veins of light beneath a twilight sky.
Ignis Vermiliona smiled knowingly. "You are wondering why you are here."
Damien gave a slow nod.
She stepped closer, her robes of enchanted flame silk whispering with each motion. "You died, Damien. When you saved that boy, you gave your life. But instead of sending you to the Realm of Souls, I pulled you into my domain."
His eyes widened. Confusion tangled with curiosity. "So... I'm dead? But... why am I here? Did I do something wrong?"
Ignis giggled—a light, teasing sound. "No, my flame. You are here because I am offering you a second chance at life."
Damien blinked. "Wait... a second chance?"
She nodded. "Yes. But not in this world. I am sending you to another world. One that desperately needs your help."
"Help? With what?"
Her golden eyes flared. "To defeat the Demon Lord."
Damien froze. The words echoed in his mind.
"Wait, hold up—" he said, face cracking into disbelief. "Did you say... Demon Lord?"
"Yes," she repeated, her smile serene. "You will fight the awakening Demon Lord."
His eyes widened dramatically. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I'm fighting a DEMON LORD?!"
Ignis giggled again.
Damien threw his hands up. "Stop giggling!!! This is not a funny situation! How am I supposed to fight a demon lord?! I don't have powers! I might die again!!"
She giggled once more, clearly amused.
"WHAT'S SO FUNNY?!" Damien yelled, eyes twitching.
She tilted her head, a playful glint in her gaze. "Don't worry, my Flame. You will have power. The power to defeat the Demon Lord."
Damien exhaled, trying to slow his racing thoughts. "Alright. Fine. What do I have to do?"
Ignis stepped forward, her tone shifting to something more reverent. "I will grant you the Flame Soul—the core of my divine fire."
He blinked. "Flame Soul?"
She raised her hand, and in her palm burned a shard of divine flame. It pulsed like a living heart, glowing with raw, untamed power.
Damien's thoughts swirled. "That flame... it feels alive. Like it's looking at me. Is this really happening? Is she seriously going to put that thing in me? Is this gonna hurt? What if I explode? What if—"
Ignis stepped closer, placed her free hand on his chest, and whispered, "Be still, my flame."
With no hesitation, she reached into his chest—through flesh, through soul—and embedded the shard into his very essence.
Damien gasped.
The world ignited.
Flames erupted around him, swirling like a storm. Crimson and gold fire danced across his skin, burning yet not burning, as if rewriting his entire being.
"What is this?!" he shouted in his mind. "It's hot—no, it's more than hot! It's like... it's like fire is breathing with me! Inside me! I feel like I could lift a mountain—or burn one down!"
Ignis's voice rang out, calm and proud. "This is not just magic, Damien. It is sentient—alive with emotion, and tied to your heart. The stronger your emotions, the stronger your flame."
Damien stood tall, flames still licking at his arms. He flexed his fingers, staring in wonder.
"Whoa... this is insane... but also kinda amazing."
As suddenly as it began, the flames faded.
Then—
BEEP.
A floating screen popped into existence before Damien.
[ FLAME SOUL SYNCHRONIZED — SYSTEM ACTIVATED ]
He blinked. "What the hell is this... a video game HUD?!"
Ignis only smiled.
Damien stared at the floating screen, jaw slightly open. A digital shimmer hovered just inches from his face, casting a soft glow over his features.
"What... the hell...?" he muttered, eyes wide. "Is this seriously a menu screen? Like—like an RPG or something?!"
His mind raced. *"Okay... so not only did I die, get resurrected by a literal fire goddess, and get my soul infused with a divine flame... now I've got a freaking interface? What's next, inventory management?!"
The screen flickered once, then expanded, revealing lines of glowing text and stats.
[ STATUS SCREEN ]
Name: Damien Cross
Age: 21
Race: Human (Flamebound)
Level: 1
Class: Fire Mage – Divine Flameborn
Blessing: Flame Soul – Gift of Ignis Vermiliona
Titles: The Flame Chosen, The Reborn One, Savior of a Child
Health Points (HP): 450/450
Magic Points (MP): 900/900
Strength: 32
Agility: 41
Endurance: 38
Mana: 500
Luck: 27
Charm: 49
Normal Skills:
Enhanced Flame Resistance: Naturally resists extreme heat and fire-based attacks. Allows survival in volcanic or high-temperature environments.
Heat Vision: Can detect thermal signatures and heat patterns, useful for tracking living beings or identifying hidden objects.
Firestep: Grants a passive speed and agility boost when moving across flame-touched or scorched terrain.
Cooking: Skilled at preparing delicious meals, with an innate sense for seasoning and temperature control.
Sword Mastery: Trained in one-handed and two-handed sword techniques, allowing for fluid offense and defense.
Fire Affinity: Increased effectiveness when using fire-based skills and spells; faster casting speed for flame magic.
Appraisal: Ability to instantly analyze items, beings, or magic to determine their nature, value, or danger level.
Unarmed Combat: Proficient in close-quarters hand-to-hand fighting, combining speed and technique.
Cooking Critique: Can instantly assess the quality of any meal, including taste, texture, aroma, and presentation.
Ability Skills:
Flame Dash: A short-range, high-speed burst of movement engulfed in flames. Leaves a fiery trail that can ignite enemies.
Ember Surge: Unleashes a wave of searing embers in a cone ahead, causing burn damage and temporary blindness.
Ignition Fist: Empowers Damien's punches with explosive flame bursts that deal both physical and magical fire damage.
Searing Pulse: Emits a burst of intense heat in all directions, pushing back nearby enemies and melting weaker projectiles.
Flare Kick: A fire-infused spinning kick that creates a crescent-shaped flame wave. Effective against multiple foes.
Volcanic Pressure: Temporarily increases physical strength and magical potency by channeling inner heat; releases a shockwave upon activation.
Magic Skills:
Fireball: A basic but powerful sphere of fire hurled at enemies. Moderate damage with small area-of-effect impact.
Inferno Spiral: Summons spiraling columns of flame that trap and burn enemies in a vortex of fire. High mana cost.
Flame Pillar: Erupts a column of fire beneath the target, sending them into the air while engulfing them in flame.
Combustion Field: Creates a field of unstable heat that ignites everything within a radius. Sustained burn damage over time.
Torchlight: Summons a floating orb of flame that lights up surroundings and reveals hidden magical traps or entities.
Unique Skills:
Divine Flame Manipulation: Grants full control over divine fire—can shape, condense, or expand it. Only limited by emotion and willpower.
Emotion Sync: Flame power dynamically increases or decreases based on Damien's emotional state. Rage fuels destruction; hope fuels regeneration.
Phoenix Resurgence: Once per death, Damien will resurrect from his ashes. Cooldown: 30 days.
Flame Devourer: Absorbs nearby fire-based attacks or natural flames to regenerate mana or convert into offensive energy.
Weapons: None Equipped
Items:
Starter Robes of the Flamebound: Fire-resistant mage robes that boost flame magic potency by 10%.
Ember Ring x1: Increases mana regeneration rate.
Basic Spell Tome x1: Contains beginner-level flame spells and techniques.
Damien's eyes scanned every line with increasing disbelief.
"I'm... a fire mage? With all this? Holy crap... I've got so much power. This isn't beginner-level stuff—this is boss-tier already!"
He flexed his hands, and warm flames rippled up his arms in response, dancing gently with his emotions.
"I can feel it... the power. It's not just energy—it's alive. Like it's waiting for me to unleash it..."
Ignis, standing beside him, watched with pride in her gaze. "These powers... they are but a glimpse of what you can become. Your flame has the potential to reshape a world that teeters on the edge of darkness."
She stepped closer. "Use this second chance, Damien. Not just to fight—but to inspire. To protect. To become the fire that lights a new path."
Damien looked back at the screen, his heart pounding. He couldn't stop the smile stretching across his face, his golden-red eyes glowing brighter.
"Guess I really am the Flame Chosen now."
To be continued...